Ruling on joining religious parties


Question:

What do you advise preachers to do against the religious innovators? We would like you to direct special advice to the young men who are excited about joining so-called religious parties.

Answer:

We advise all our brothers to call the people to Allah (Exalted be He) with wisdom and gentle preaching and arguing with the best manner as He asked us to do with all the people and with the innovators if they show their innovation in public whether they are from Shiites or others. Believers have to denounce any innovation in religion as much as they can by using legal ways.

Bid’ah (innovation in religion) is what people innovate in religion and then attribute to religion even though it is not. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “He who innovates something in our (Islam) affair that is not part of it will have it rejected.” 1 The Prophet (may Allah’s Peace and Blessings be upon him) also says: “Whoever does any act for which there is no sanction on our behalf, it is to be rejected.” 2

Al-Rafidah (a Shi’ah group denying the caliphates of Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq and ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattab and making accusations against them and many other Companions of the Prophet), Mu’tazilah (a deviant Islamic sect claiming that those who commit major sins are in a state between belief and disbelief), Murji’ah (a deviant Islamic sect claiming that Faith is restricted to belief not deeds) and Khawarij (separatist group that believes committing a major sin amounts to disbelief) are clear examples of the erroneous groups which were established on the basis of Bid’ah.

Likewise, there are the Bid’ahs of celebrating birthday parties and building mosques over graves, and so on. We should advise and direct people to what is good, denounce the Bid’ahs they introduce using legal proofs and educate them with gentle and good manners and clear proofs so that they would accept the truth.

A Muslim must not belong to innovated parties. We should only belong to Allah’s Book and the Sunnah of His Prophet (peace be upon him) and cooperate in this regard with sincerity and truth so as to be part of Allah’s Party. Allah (Exalted be He) says at the end of Surah Al-Mujadalah, “Verily, it is the Party of Allâh that will be the successful.” [Al-Mujadilah: 22] After mentioning their great traits in His Saying, “You (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) will not find any people who believe in Allâh and the Last Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allâh and His Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم).” [Mujadilah: 22]

Among their great traits are what Allah (Exalted be He) mentions in Surah Al-Dhariyat when Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says: “Verily, the Muttaqûn (the pious. See V.2:2) will be in the midst of Gardens and Springs (in the Paradise), Taking joy in the things which their Lord has given them. Verily, they were before this Muhsinûn (good-doers. See V.2:112). They used to sleep but little by night [invoking their Lord (Allâh) and praying, with fear and hope]. And in the hours before dawn, they were (found) asking (Allâh) for forgiveness. And in their properties there was the right of the Sâ’il (the beggar who asks) and the Mahrûm (the poor who does not ask others).” [Al-Dhariyat: 15-19]

These are the traits of Allah’s Party. They do not side with other than Allah’s Book and the Sunnah; they call people to them and follow the way of the Sahabah (Companions of the Prophet) (may Allah be pleased with them) and their followers in proper guidance.

They advise all parties and societies and ask them to adhere to the Qur’an and Sunnah, using both as a reference to judge any difference. If any matter agrees with the Qur’an and Sunnah, it will be acceptable; otherwise, it is to be rejected. There is no difference in this regard between the groups of Al-Ikhwan Al-Muslimun (the Muslim Brotherhood), Ansar Al-Sunnah, Al-Jam’iyyah Al-Shar’iyyah, Jama’at Tabligh or any other group that relates itself to Islam.

In this way, Muslims will be united, their objective will be clear and they will be as one party following on the footsteps of Ahl-ul-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah (adherents to the Sunnah and the Muslim mainstream) who are Allah’s Party and supporters and callers to His religion. And it is not allowed to fanatically adhere to any group or party in a way that contradicts our pure Shari’ah.

  1. Al-Bukhari, Sahih, Book on reconciliation, no. 2697; Muslim, Sahih, Book on judicial decisions, no. 1718; Abu Dawud, Sunan, Book on Al-Sunnah, no. 4606; Ibn Majah, Sunan, Introduction, no. 14; and Ahmad, Musnad, vol. 6, p. 240. ↩

  2. Muslim, Sahih, Book on judicial decisions, no. 1718; and Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad, vol. 6, p. 256. ↩